


shouldn't have to

by logictron



Category: The Brave (TV 2017)
Genre: Caretaking, F/M, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Sick Character, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-02-17
Packaged: 2019-03-19 17:24:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13709163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/logictron/pseuds/logictron
Summary: Cuddle prompt: While someone's sick.Dalton finds Jaz in the middle of the night. He has zero intentions of leaving her to fend for herself.





	shouldn't have to

**Author's Note:**

> This ended up less cuddle-y and more care-take-y? But there's still plenty of physicality and sweetness.

Were it anyone else, he would've heard, but Jaz is a ninja, even when she's sick. So it's a surprise when Dalton finds her on the bathroom floor in the middle of the night. He almost misses her as it is, but she can't quite quiet her breathing and it echoes in the tiled space.

 

They clean weekly, thoroughly, but the bathroom floor is far from ideal. It's old and the tiles are yellowed and cracked, some of them missing. It's definitely not a place any of them want to spend any more time than strictly necessary.

 

"Hey," he murmurs, crouching next to her, resting a gentle hand on her forehead. She's burning up.

 

"I"m fine," Jaz croaks."Go back to bed."

 

Adam laughs softly at her typical hardheadedness, but he sobers, thinking about how she ended up like this. How he did.

 

"Not a chance," he says. He briefly considers carrying her. She's pretty out of it. But she'd hate him for it. "Come on, let's get you up."

 

Dalton hoists her to her feet, his arm securely around her, though once she's up, Jaz does a decent job of supporting herself, despite the shaking.

 

A quick glance into her room confirms that her bed is a disaster, sheets twisted and mostly off. Debating his options, Adam guides her to his room instead. It speaks volumes that she doesn't even notice until he's helping her into the bed.

 

"Top..."

 

"Hang tight. I'll be right back. That's an order, Sergeant." He never pulls rank, not on anyone in the unit. But right now, he needs her to know he's dead serious.

 

Jaz glares but doesn't move and Adam retreats to the common area. He doesn't think it's worth waking McG. She's definitely sick but it's not an emergency. He's had plenty of practice taking care of sick people, mostly his sisters. He can manage just fine until morning.

 

Armed with gingerale, ibuprofen, a thermometer, and a trashbag, Adam returns to his room, glad to find her asleep, curled into his pillow. Patton appears from somewhere and hops up gingerly,curling behind her knees and resting his head on her hip.

 

Top fixes the blankets over her, adding the extra one that's draped over the back of the chair in the corner, before he settles into said chair, his eyes never leaving her. It's only half an hour before she's up again, retching into the trashbag while Adam smooths her hair back.

 

"You really don't have to do this," she rasps.

 

"I know. You can take care of yourself. Thing is, you shouldn't have to." Adam offers here the gingerale and takes a second to quickly pull her hair back into a more effective bun. It's nowhere near as neat as she could do for herself but it works.

 

"Thanks," Jaz mumbles, sinking back into the bed again, handing back the soda.

 

"Open up," he says, tucking the thermometer under her tongue. "I'll be back."

 

He cleans up and the quickly tosses her sheets in the hallway so he can take care of them later. When he returns, she groans pitifully and offers him the thermometer. A little over 102. Adam frowns.

 

"I feel like shit," she mutters, and it's the closest thing to whining he's ever heard from her.

 

"I know." He hands here a couple of pills, hoping she can keep them down long enough to work their magic. "Try to get some rest."

 

When she settles into sleep again, Adam goes back to her room. He throws the sheets in the laundry and hesitantly digs through her stuff to find something new for her to wear. It feels more intimate going through her drawers than having her sleep in his bed, somehow, but he finds an old tshirt (it's actually Elijah's, he knows, and it's her favorite) and a pair of soft flannel pants.

 

Jaz is still asleep when he returns, so he settles back in his chair, and they stay that way until morning.

**

She wakes up shivering violently and Adam is there in seconds. Her fever's breaking and she's covered in sweat.

 

"Okay, okay, easy." Adam helps her to her feet. "Last thing I need is you knocking yourself out trying to be a hero."

 

The trip to the bathroom is slow-going, but they get there. He leaves her leaning against the wall and drags the one bench into the shower stall and turns on the water.

 

"I"m staying right here. Five minutes, tops." Jaz staggers into the stall and Adam realizes the likelihood of her being able to get undressed by herself is slim. "Can I help?"

 

Jaz nods tiredly, her eyes falling shut as he moves forward. With the water turned on, he reaches for the hem of her shirt, not missing how bad she trembles from the effort of lifting her arms. He definitely doesn't miss the way she reaches for his shoulder to steady herself as he helps her out of her pants.

 

"There we go," he murmurs, waiting for her to sit before he steps back."You good?"

 

"Peachy," she mumbles, the corners of her mouth quirking. The little glimpse of her personality is enough to make him realize she's naked and he's just standing there. Adam blushes and bows his head. If she notices, she doesn't let on.

 

"Five minutes," he repeats and then ducks back out of the stall, leaning against the wall outside, arms folded over his chest.

 

There's shuffling somewhere down the hall. Everyone will be waking up soon. Bringing Jaz back to his room will be a no-go.

 

Adam hears the water turn off and he hands Jaz a towel, letting her dry off while he gathers her old clothes and sets out the new ones.

 

"You're way too good at this 'taking care of people' thing," she quips. Getting dressed, she manages on her own. He tries to be grateful.

 

"That sounds an awful lot like a compliment." He rummages at the sink for her toothbrush, handing it to her.

 

"Don't put too much stock in it. I'm still delirious," Jaz says, brushing her teeth.

 

Adam chuckles and shakes his head, taking her toothbrush back before helping her to her feet.

 

"So, next on the docket...becoming one with the lazboy and binging Disney movies, right?" Jaz doesn't get sick often, none of them really do, but this used to be Elijah's territory. Adam's just working off memory.

 

"Yeah." Jaz smiles, a little sadly, leaning into Dalton and hugging him. She doesn't exactly offer a lot of free physical affection, so it catches him a little off guard.

 

"We'll get you settled and I'll get your sheets dried and we can see about making you something to eat. You up for that?" he asks, rubbing her back gently. She just nods and stays leaning into him until they reach the recliner.

 

Amir and Preach are both up, already moving around each other expertly in the kitchen area. Neither of them says anything as Adam settles her, pulling one of the blankets off the pile under the end table, draping it over her and handing her the remote.

 

He does as he said, changing over the laundry and checking in with Preach and Amir who are both already making things for Jaz. Patton has joined her on her chair, curled up in her lap like a dog a quarter of his size.

 

"Come on, Patton," he says and Jaz snorts, looking up at him.

 

"Like he listens to you. He's fine. It's nice."

 

"I'm letting that one slide since you're sick. You need anything?" He feels her forehead. It's mostly back to normal.

 

"Company?" she asks, nodding toward the other chair.

 

"Yeah, alright," he agrees, sinking into the empty recliner.

 

"I meant what I said, by the way. Thanks for dealing with my sick, whiny ass," Jaz says, scratching Patton's head.

 

"Anytime." Adam doesn't even last until Preach brings over a tray of tea and toast. He's passed out and snoring faintly and no one even thinks of waking him. Jaz wants him there, so he stays.


End file.
